The Silent Duo
by SamYellek
Summary: The American Old West:Akito Hayama,bored out of his mind in a middle-of-no-where dirt town,decides to embark on a life of crime,just for the fun of it. With him is his best friend,Tsuyoshi. This idea has been in my head for a while. Rated T. Please Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

The sun rose to the east,turning the dark sky a bright pink. The first few sun rays landed on a small dirt town in southern Montana. Population,79. It used to be eighty,but one moved away a couple of months ago. No one's seem him since.

As the sun rose,people woke up and left their houses to start the day. The few local farmers were already up and about. In one house,just a little off the center of town,a young man still lay sleeping in bed. His dirty blond hair was messy from tossing around during the night. Behind his closed eyelids,rested light brown colored eyes.

A knock at his bedroom door woke him for his slumber. He got up from the bed and dragged himself to the door. Standing there was a woman,just a few years older than him. Her eyes were a bit darker than his,and her hair laid straight down until it reached her shoulders,where the ends curled inwards.

"What do you want,Natsumi?" the young man asked,yawning slightly.

"I want you to wake up,little brother." Natsumi answered.

"What for?"

"'What for?' Akito Hayama. All you ever do is sleep." Natsumi scolded.

"And? There's not much else to do here anyway." Akito yawned again. "And I don't just sleep. I work."

"Right. How could I forget about my brother,the great stable boy?" Natsumi mocked.

"Shut up." Akito said.

"Whatever. I'm leaving for work. Don't wreck the house. I'll be back later." She turned and left out the front door. Akito turned and went back to his bed. He laid down. Then he heard a knocking on his window. Looking up,he saw Natsumi tapping the glass. "And don't go back to sleep!" she scolded from outside,her voice muffled. She walked away.

Akito stood back up and made his bed. He left his room,walked past Natsumi's and into the kitchen. He made himself breakfast. When he was finished, Akito cleaned up and walked outside into the sun for the first time that day.

Akito walked around for a bit,then went to the eastern farmhouse to start work for the day. The farmer,Farmer Tanaka,greeted him and Akito went into the barn. First he let the animals out to the fenced field. While the animals were out,Akito scooped out the droppings,then swept the floor. He worked for hours,until the sun reached it's peak in the sky.

The hard-working Akito rested under a tree,relishing the break. Afterward,he got up to start back to work. Tanaka,on the other hand,let Akito off the rest of the day. Thanking Farmer Tanaka,Akito set off on his way back home.

While walking down the road into town,he passed many of the locals. They greeted him and continued on their way. Akito lived in a small town,where everyone knew everyone. And everyone knew Akito. They knew him as 'the quiet young man who worked for one of the farmers',with an attitude if made angry.

They also knew his friend,who Akito just ran into.

"Good afternoon,Akito." his friend said. He had dark brown hair,growing down to his ears. His brown eyes were behind his large glasses. He wore a normal white shirt with black pants,both a bit wrinkled.

"Hello,Tsuyoshi." Akito said.

"Did Farmer Tanaka let you off early?"

"Yes."

"Wow. That's great."

"Yeah."

A couple old women walked by and waved hello at Tsuyoshi. Tsuyoshi waved back,a smile brightening his face. He turned back to Akito. "So what are you going to do with your new free time?"

"I was going to go home to sleep."

Tsuyoshi rolled his eyes. "You always sleep,Akito."

"You sound like my sister." Akito said.

"Whatever." Tsuyoshi said laughing.

Akito smirked a little. He really enjoyed spending time with his only true friend in town. And the feeling was mutual.

"Well,I have to go." Tsuyoshi said. "I'll see you later,Akito. Have fun sleeping the day away."

"I will. See you later." Akito and Tsuyoshi walked in different directions,each going about their business.

Akito got home and went inside. He made himself a snack and laid down on his bed. He let out a sigh. That was it. His entire day. He had nothing else planned,not in this small town. Too small for Akito. He felt cramped. Everyday,the same thing. Wake up,eat,work,sleep. Every now and then,he'd get days off,and those days would be twice as boring if not for Tsuyoshi.

And today,Farmer Tanaka had let him off early. Early! He couldn't believe it. While brooding, Akito slipped into a sleep.

He woke up hours later. He made himself dinner,bathed,then went back to bed. While trying to fall back to sleep,he heard his sister,Natsumi,come home. He fell back to sleep shortly afterwards.

/

Akito woke up to Natsumi knocking on his door again. He dressed himself and answered the door. After greeting him,she left. Akito made himself breakfast,and went outside to start work. Then he remembered,he had the day off. "Urggh." he grunted.

_'Another day,another bore.'_ thought Akito. He had no idea what to do to occupy his time. He wasn't even tired,so he couldn't go back to sleep. He decided to walk around the town,again.

After his third lap around the entire town,Akito went home and sat down on the chair outside the front door. He gave a bored sigh,then the chair broke. With a **crack**,the wooden chair gave way. Akito lost to gravity,falling to the ground.

"Ow." Akito mumbled. "Stupid old chair." he said standing back up. His backside hurting,Akito walked it off. He found himself just outside Farmer Tanaka's farm. Akito saw the front door was laying on the porch,broken.

Akito ran up to the house. Standing on the porch,he looked inside. The place was a mess. Akito stepped inside cautiously. The house was completely ransacked. Farmer Tanaka came out from around a corner,holding a shotgun. Akito backed away,putting his hands up.

"Oh Akito. It's you." the farmer said. He lowered the weapon.

"Farmer Tanaka,what happened?" Akito asked.

"Something terrible. I was taking a short break from yard work,when I heard a knock on the door. I open it,and three large brutes barge in. They knocked me down and stole from me! Look at this place. They took everything of value. Everything! What am I going to do?" the farmer looked at Akito. "Oh. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be going on like this to you."

"No,it's okay." Akito said. "Where did they go? The thieves?"

"They got in a wagon and raced off out of town. That way." Tanaka pointed south of town. "Some nerve. Akito?"

Akito rushed out of the house and went into the farmers stable. Borrowing a horse,Akito raced off after the thieves.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The afternoon sun beating down on him,Akito Hayama raced off after a group of thieves who stole from his friend and boss. The horse he rode on left a trail of dust behind him as he journeyed south out of town. In the distance, Akito could see a wagon. It was the one he was looking for,he could tell. He urged the horse to go faster.

The horse caught up to the wagon. Akito came up behind it. He caught a glimpse of a small jewelry box inside the wagon. A box he's seen in Tanaka's house before. This was the thieves. Akito had the horse get closer. The thieves on the wagon were completely unaware of him.

Akito stood up on the horse,and jumped onto the wagon. He climbed inside. One of the thieves turned and saw him. Taking advantage of the thief's state of shock,Akito hit him upside the head. The thief went down. There were still three more.

One turned and saw Akito. He said something to the others. The guy stood up and drew his gun. The wagon started to slow down. Akito ducked down behind a crate as the guy shot at him. A corner blew away,inches away from Akito's head.

The gunshot spooked the horse pulling the wagon. The wagon sped up. The thief with the gun stumbled,giving Akito a chance. He tackled the gunman,taking the gun from him. The driver got the horse under control and stopped the wagon.

Akito got out of the back of the wagon. The three thieves got out too. Akito didn't give them a chance to do anything. He tackled the one from before,taking him to the ground. Another one aimed his gun at Akito. He quickly stood up and kicked at the gunman. The gun fired,the bullet whizzing past Akito's face and hitting the dirt.

Thinking fast,Akito punched the thief in the stomach. He dropped the gun,then dropped himself. The last assailant drew a knife and stabbed at Akito. Akito dodged the blade,backing into the wagon. The guy smirked,bringing the knife to Akito's chest. At the last second,Akito dropped to the ground. The knife lodged itself into the wood.

Akito pulled out the gun he took from one of the thieves. He pistol whipped the man across the head. He fell to the ground unconscious,bumps already beginning to bruise. Akito took a minute to catch his breath. He looked around at the three unconscious men laying on the ground.

Taking deep breathes,Akito felt his heart pound beneath his ribcage. This was it. He found it. The answer to his boring repetitive life. He looked down at his hand. It was shaking. Akito sighed,a slight smile appeared on his face.

Akito lifted up the three thieves one at a time,and put them in the wagon. Akito went to the front,and saw that,somehow,.the horse broke free and ran off. He moaned in defeat,until he turned around and saw the horse he borrowed from Tanaka.

The white horse trotted up to Akito. She nuzzled Akito's head. Akito petted her,happy to see her. Akito hooked the horse up to the wagon,and the horse set off back to town. On the journey back,Akito thought about everything that had happened.

His heart was still pounding. Never before today had he felt anything close to the rush of chasing those thieves. The thrill of fighting them,taking them down,and now taking them back to town. Akito didn't know what to think,just that he wasn't bored anymore.

Akito rode back into town. His first stop was the jail. He explained what had happened,and the thieves were removed from the wagon and locked up. Then,Akito drove the wagon back to Tanaka's farmhouse.

Farmer Tanaka was sitting in a rocking chair on the porch. As the wagon came up to the house,Tanaka stood up and walked up to it.

"Hey,Tanaka." Akito said,dismounting the white horse.

"A,Akito?" the farmer asked.

"Yeah?"

"What did you do?"

"I got your things back." Akito said. "Take a look." Akito led Tanaka to the back of the wagon. The farmer took one look and cheered.

"Yes! Akito,thank you! Thank you so,so much!" Tanaka gave Akito a big bear hug.

Tanaka and Akito then spent the next eight minutes taking the farmers valuables from the wagon into the house. Then Akito helped Tanaka put things back where they belonged.

"Thank you again,Akito. I never thought I would see any of these things ever again." The farmer couldn't stop smiling,his eyes tearing up with joy.

"No problem. It was my pleasure." Akito smirked.

"I owe you so much. If there is anything you need,just let me know." Tanaka offered.

"Thanks."

The white horse Akito borrowed came up to him,nuzzling him again. Akito petted her.

"She seems to like you." Tanaka said.

"Yeah. Seems like it." Akito said.

"That horse there hasn't really been friendly to anyone. I'm a bit surprised." Tanaka told him. "She also hasn't been out like that in a while. That's probably why she likes you."

Akito continued to pet the horse. He smiled at her.

"Tell ya what." Tanaka said. "See as you two seem to like each other,I'll let you come and ride her whenever you want. As a thank you." the farmer smiled.

Akito looked at Tanaka. "Okay." Akito left a little while after that,returning to his home. Natsumi was already there,sitting in the living room. The two ate dinner,then Natsumi went to bed. Akito laid in his bed,staring up at the ceiling.

He tossed and turned,unable to get comfortable,the events of that day circling in his mind. Akito eventually fell asleep,dreaming about what he did to those thieves.

/

He awoke to his sister knocking on his door. She left,he ate breakfast,and then he left. Akito walked to Farmer Tanaka's farm,thinking. _'Strange. One day of excitement,and the normal seems twice as dull then before.'_

Akito waved to Tanaka and got to work. While on his break,Akito decided to visit the horse. He went to the stable,and walked to his horse's pen. Akito caught himself,and he petted the horse. He had thought 'his' horse. He smiled as he pet 'his' horse.

On a whim,Akito decided to take the horse for a ride. He led her out of the stable,and climbed on. He took her for a slow canter at first around the property. Then he sped up. Then sped up again. Then some more. Akito was amazed at how fast the horse could go. And how much he enjoyed it. Akito's heart sped up a little,excitement building up inside him. But,no matter how fast the horse galloped,it wasn't enough.

Akito slowed the horse down to a stop. He directed her back into the stable,and Akito finished his work. When the work was finished,Akito bid good night to Farmer Tanaka,and the horse,and went on his way.

At home,after dinner,Akito laid in bed thinking. Riding the horse wasn't enough. Something was missing. What was it? What else did he do? He beat up a group of guys. But Akito didn't want to be a thug.

Closing his eyes,Akito finally drifted off into sleep. In his dreams,he saw flashes of images. Him,riding his horse. Him,being chased by law officials. Him,stealing back what the thieves stole. Him,stealing. For the fun of it.

Akito bolted awake,his heart pounding away in his chest. That was it. He found it. Maybe.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The next morning, Akito woke up on his own. He got out of bed and went to the door. He opened it,surprising Natsumi,who was standing on the other side preparing to knock. Akito smiled,walked around his sister,and left for the day.

Akito ate breakfast at a small diner,then headed to Tanaka's farm. Akito got to work,working twice as hard,all the while thinking about his horse. Akito took a break a little after noon.

He took his white colored horse for another ride around Tanaka's property. He had the horse charging at full speed,Akito enjoying every minute of it. The wind whipped his hair around,blowing it back from his face. Too soon after starting,Akito slowed the horse down to a stop. He hopped off her and put his horse back in the stables.

He got back to work,and he worked until the sky began to darken. Tanaka waved him good night,and Akito walked back into town. Instead of going back home,he walked around the town,breathing in the night air.

Akito took a deep breath,before knocking on the door of the house he stood in front of. The wooden door opened,and Akito's friend Tsuyoshi stood in the frame.

"Akito?" Tsuyoshi asked surprised. "Hey. What brings you here?"

"Just walking around. I wanted to talk to you." Akito said.

"Oh? Come in then." Tsuyoshi said,stepping aside. Thanking his friend,Akito walked inside.

Tsuyoshi lived alone in a small but cozy house. A dark blueish gray rug lay in the middle of the living room floor. Against the wall farthest from the front door was a cushioned bench that could fit two,because Tsuyoshi liked it better then a couch. A table sat in front of the bench,and he also had two chairs for any visitors. A door on the right wall led into Tsuyoshi's bedroom. On the left wall was a fireplace,a warm fire burning,filling the whole room with an inviting glow.

Akito sat down on the bench,while Tsuyoshi closed the door. He sat in the chair directly facing Akito and smiled. "So? What did you want to talk about?"

Akito smiled. "Did you hear about Tanaka? About the thieves?"

"Yeah,I did. Heard what you did too." Tsuyoshi said. He smiled and laughed a little. "Did you come here to brag and gloat?" Tsuyoshi joked.

"No." Akito said. He was quiet for a minute.

"What is it,Akito?" Tsuyoshi asked. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Listen." Akito took a deep breath. "What I'm going to say,needs to stay between us. Is that alright?"

"Of course,Akito. We're friends. You can tell me anything." Tsuyoshi said. He leaned forward in his chair a bit.

"I'm bored." Akito said.

"Bored?" Tsuyoshi repeated.

"Bored. I've been bored for a while in this town."  
>"Yeah? This isn't news,Akito."<p>

Akito smiled. "Yeah. Well,when I chased down those thieves,I wasn't bored."

Tsuyoshi stared. "Yeah. I'd imagine you weren't."

"That was honestly the most,for lack of a better word,fun I've every had." Akito admitted.

"What?" Tsuyoshi said. "Fun? You?"

Akito nodded. "I know. Crazy,right?"

"Yes." Tsuyoshi said,a bit surprised. "Crazy."

"Well,since that happened,this small town just seems so much more boring." Akito told him.

"Really." Tsuyoshi said.

"Yeah. But Tanaka's been letting me ride the horse I used to chase those thieves."

"Really? That's nice of him." Tsuyoshi said. "Is that any fun?"

"Almost." Akito said.

"Almost?" Tsuyoshi repeated,sounding confused. "What's that mean?"

"It means,that no matter how fast I get that horse to run,it's just not as exciting."

Tsuyoshi was quiet for a bit. "Interesting." he said after a while. "Is that all?"

"No." Akito said. "I had a dream."

"A dream?"

"Yeah. A dream. When I woke up,I felt almost like I did that day."

"Really?" Tsuyoshi said,sounding intrigued.

Akito nodded. "If it was real,then maybe,it would've felt good enough. It's hard to explain."

"What happened?" Tsuyoshi asked. "In your dream?"

"I dreamed that I was a criminal." Akito out bluntly.

It took a moment for Tsuyoshi to respond. "A criminal?"

"Yes. A thief."

"Like a bank robber?" Tsuyoshi asked,trying to understand.

"Exactly." Akito told him.

Tsuyoshi was quiet for a bit. Then he asked "So what are you going to do?"

"Good question." Akito said,sitting back in his seat. "I don't know."

The small house grew silent,save the cracking fire in the fireplace. Finally,Tsuyoshi spoke. "Akito,would you become an outlaw,just for something to do?"

Akito said nothing. He stared at the wall,thinking. Tsuyoshi sighed and sat back in his chair.

Akito nodded. "Yes."

Tsuyoshi looked at him. "So what now?"

"I guess I should leave." Akito said. "Can't really be a criminal in my own town." he said smirking.

"Suppose not." Tsuyoshi said.

"You know," Akito said. "the life of an outlaw could be lonely. I could use some company."

Tsuyoshi stared at Akito. "Are you asking me to go with you?"

"Yes."

Tsuyoshi was quiet for a moment. "I...don't know. Leave? How could I?"

Akito looked at him. "Listen. If you had the chance to do something completely crazy,just for the fun of it,just because you could,would you?"

Tsuyoshi said nothing. Akito turned and left. He walked home. At dinner,he told Natsumi that he was leaving town. After he ate, he hugged his sister and left the house for Tanaka's farm. He explained to the farmer that he was leaving. Tanaka gave Akito the money he earned for working for him. Before he left,Akiro gave the money to Tanaka.

"What are you doing?" Tanaka asked.

"I would like," Akito said. "If it's okay, to buy one of your horses."

"A horse?" Tanaka asked.

Akito nodded. Tanaka smiled and nodded. He hugged Akito and Akito went back home. Natsumi had gone to bed. Akito packed up everything he thought he needed. Then he too fell asleep.

Early the next morning,Akito woke up and bid his sister farewell. He walked to Tanaka's farm and saddled up his white horse. Akito led the horse to the edge of town. He climbed onto her and was prepared to start off,when he heard a call.

"Akito!" Tsuyoshi shouted from a distance. He trotted up to Akito riding a brown colored horse. The saddlebags looked all packed up. He looked at Akito smiling.

"Tsuyoshi." Akito said.

"Yes. I would do something crazy,just because I can." Tsuyoshi said. "Only an idiot would miss out on a chance to become an outlaw with his best friend."

Akito smiled. He reached out his hand. Tsuyoshi took it,the two of them sharing a firm hand shake. "Weclome aboard." he said. The two set out then,heading south,with Akito in front and Tsuyoshi following at the side.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I would like to say that I am sorry for not uploading any new chapters in a while. And I hope that these next few chapters help to make up for the wait.

Chapter Four

The two young men came to a stop,only a couple of hours after leaving the last town. They had rode to the nearest town south of their hometown and robbed the bank there,just to get the feel for it. It was just practice,so they didn't take very much at all. It had gone well.

Tsuyoshi climbed off his horse to stretch his legs. "So?" Akito asked him.

"So what?" Tsuyoshi asked.

"What did you think?"

"I thought it went okay." Tsuyoshi said. "Didn't feel right though."

"Do you want to go back and apologize?" Akito mockingly asked.

"No." Tsuyoshi said. "I just think that I need to get more used to all this."

"Alright then." Akito said.

Tsuyoshi smiled at him. "So this is our lives now?"

Akito nodded,looking into the distance.

"Okay then." Tsuyoshi said. He took a drink of water and climbed back on his horse. "What now?"

Akito didn't answer. He was watching something in the distance. He pointed. "That." he said. Tsuyoshi looked at where Akito's finger was pointing. Some forty feet away and approaching,was a single horse drawn carriage. It rode through the dusty plain,the wheels kicking dust and dirt into the air.

"That?" Tsuyoshi asked.

"Yes." Akito said.

"You want to rob a random passing carriage?"

Akito nodded.

"Okay." Tsuyoshi shrugged. "By the way. Here." Tsuyoshi handed Akito a piece of paper. Akito took it and looked at the word written. 'Valuables'. He looked at Tsuyoshi,raising an eyebrow.

"When we rob some one,we hand that to them instead of talking." Tsuyoshi said. "And on the off chance we meet them again in passing,they won't recognize us by our voices."

Akito looked from the paper,to Tsuyoshi. He shrugged and pocketed it. Akito and Tsuyoshi adjusted their hats and covered their faces with their bandannas. With the tiniest nudge,the horses took off toward the carriage.

Akito and Tsuyoshi rode up to the side of the carriage. Akito jumped from his horse,onto the roof. The driver looked around and saw Akito. He stood up and drew his gun. Akito ran at the man and ducked as the trigger was pulled. The bullet shot off into the dessert.

Akito slid into the driver's legs,knocking him down. The gun skidded across the roof,and stopped,balanced perfectly on the edge. Tsuyoshi jumped onto the carriage,rocking it. The gun fell to the ground.

As the horse pulling the carriage continued on its way,Tsuyoshi dragged himself to the reins. Akito and the driver stood up and started fighting. The driver tried to tackle Akito,but Akito grabbed him and pushed him back. The driver kicked at Akito's knee,making Akito fall. The driver punched Akito while he was down.

Tsuyoshi took a hold of the reins. Looking over his shoulder at Akito and the driver,Tsuyoshi sped the horse up. The horse took off into a gallop.

The driver lost his balance at the sudden change in speed. He stumbled,and Akito kicked the driver's ankle. The driver fell. Akito punched the driver. Tsuyoshi smirked and slowed the carriage down to a stop.

Akito tossed the driver down from the roof. Then he jumped down,landing with a small grunt. He drew his gun and opened the carriage door. There was another man in the carriage. He looked dizzy,having been jostled around by the carriage's changes in speed. He saw Akito and reached for his gun.

Akito pointed his gun at the man,the man held his hands up. "What do you want?" he asked.

Akito was about to speak. Instead,he reached into his pocket and pulled out Tsuyoshi's note. He crumbled it into a ball and threw it at the man. The man looked from Akito to the paper ball. He slowly picked it up and uncrumbled it. "Valuables?"

Akito nodded,still pointing his gun. The man slowly got out some small bags,each jingling with coins. He tossed them at Akito. "There. That's all there is."

Akito stared at the man for a bit longer. Then he backed out of the carriage. Tsuyoshi came up to the door and picked up the bags. He closed the door.

Tsuyoshi and Akito walked back to their horses. They pocketed the bags and climbed on. As they rode away,they left the men they just robbed in shock and awe.

The two young men rode south,stopping when the scene of their recent crime disappeared. Tsuyoshi took a drink of water.

"That could've gone better." Akito said.

"What do you mean?" Tsuyoshi asked.

"I mean," Akito said. "that we could do with some improvement."

"How so?"

"Well for starters,I could not get punched in the face next time." Akito said,rubbing his cheek. "And work on a way to stop the carriage faster."

"So you plan on robbing more carriages?" Tsuyoshi asked.

"Yes." Akito simply put.

"Okay." Tsuyoshi said.

"And Tsuyoshi?" Akito said.

"Yeah?"

"That note of yours."

"What about it?"

Akito paused. "Good idea. We'll need to write some more."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The sun had begun its decent toward the ground,and all was pretty peaceful in town. The town was quite big,larger than any other town around for a few miles. And in the center of this large town,was its bank.

The clock in city hall chimed four as Akito and Tsuyoshi walked into the bank. They pulled their bandannas over the lower parts of their faces. Tsuyoshi closed and locked the bank door as Akito fired a bullet into the ceiling. The people in the bank screamed.

Akito motioned for everyone to lay on the floor. They did. Akito walked up to the clerk while Tsuyoshi stayed by the door. Akito put the gun on the counter,staring at the bank clerk. He handed her a bag and a note.

Tsuyoshi paced back and forth in front of the door. The clerk quickly put two hundred dollars in the bag. She handed the bag back to Akito. He took the bag and the note from her. Akito nodded his head at her and cleared his throat. Tsuyoshi looked up at him. They nodded at each other and rushed out the back door.

Their horses stood to the right of the bank's back door. Akito and Tsuyoshi climbed onto their horses and rode off,just as the town's police busted down the bank's front door. A couple of the police saw them and chased after them.

The thieves galloped away,and the police drew their guns. They fired a few shots at them,but missed. Akito and Tsuyoshi rounded a corner and rode out of town.

Tsuyoshi laughed as they cantered away. Akito smirked. "That was amazing." Tsuyoshi said.

"Glad you enjoyed it." Akito said. He pulled out the money and split it between them. "Here." Tsuyoshi took his half.

"Thanks." Tsuyoshi slid off his horse and laid on the ground. He looked up at the sky,resting. The sun had begun to set,and the clouds glowed with a pinkish orange color. "Hey Akito?"

"Yeah?" Akito asked.

"Let's make camp here." Tsuyoshi said.

"Camp?"

"Yeah. Camp" Tsuyoshi said.

"Okay." Akito said. He climbed off his horse. "Start a fire." he told Tsuyoshi. Tsuyoshi stood up and looked around for firewood. Akito searched the saddlebags. He got out some food,a sleeping pad and a blanket. Tsuyoshi had gotten started on the fire. He was having no luck.

Akito smirked while Tsuyoshi struggled. Finally,as the sun disappeared beyond the horizon,the firewood and tinder sparked and flamed. Akito applauded at the burning wood mockingly. Tsuyoshi smirked. "Very funny."

Akito set up a makeshift cooking spit over the fire,while Tsuyoshi set out their sleeping pads. Akito and Tsuyoshi laid on their outdoor beds,eating while the heat from the fire kept them warm and cracked the wood.

The glasses-wearing young man laid down on his bed,staring at the stars. The thousands of tiny lights twinkled in the dark sky. Akito finished eating and took a few drinks of water. The fire started dying down,and Tsuyoshi added a few more sticks to the fire.

Akito yawned. "I'm tired." he said. He took his boots off and covered himself with a blanket. Using his saddlebag as a pillow,Akito laid down. He laid on his side,facing away from the fire.

Tsuyoshi stayed up for a bit more,staring at the stars. When that got tiring,he got out the book he packed and read a bit of it. The campfire started going out again. Tsuyoshi added another few sticks,and decided to turn in. Putting the book away,he took his boots off and covered up. Tsuyoshi then took his glasses off and looked up at the stars. Closing his eyes,he fell asleep.

/

Akito jolted awake. His vision was blurred due to sleep. He blinked a couple times,clearing his vision. It was morning,the sky blue and filled with wispy clouds. He tried to sit up,but stopped. He felt something on his head,pressing into the back side. Turing a bit,he saw a man standing over him. And the man was holding a gun,pointing it right at Akito's head.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Akito and Tsuyoshi fell asleep feeling good. After pulling off a bank job and eating a good meal,the two young criminals fell asleep with full stomachs,and two hundred dollars,under the stars. They woke up the next morning at gunpoint.

Akito stared at the man standing over him. He was older than Akito. His facial hair was short and scraggy. It looked like it would itch. His clothes were covered in so much dirt and dust,like he had just bathed in dirt during a sandstorm.

The gun he was pressing against the back of Akito's head was a six-cylinder standard revolver,much like the one Akito had. The hammer was cocked back,ready to fire.

Akito couldn't move. He didn't dare to. He could feel his gun in his hip holster,and could easily grab it. But from the look on the man's face,he was more than willing to shoot Akito's head off. Akito's heart was racing,thumping in his chest. He stared into the eyes of the man over him,not blinking. If it was just him alone,he would have risked taking the man down. But it wasn't just him.

Taking a chance,Akito quickly glanced over to where Tsuyoshi was laying the night before. Tsuyoshi was kneeling in front of another man. That man was just as dirty as the man in front of Akito. With a gun pressed against his temple,Tsuyoshi looked scared. His right cheek was red,and his glasses were on the ground,knocked off during a short struggle.

Akito looked back to the man in front of him. He glared,angry at his predicament. Akito's heart still pumping,he took a deep breath.

"Get up." the man said. Akito looked up at the man,a little surprised. He laid there still,not moving. "Are ya deaf? Up." he jabbed his gun into Akito's head. "Now."

Moving slowly,Akito got up. He went from being on his side to being on his knees. Akito then noticed a third man. He was taller and skinnier then the other two,but just as dirty. The third man grabbed the saddlebags Akito used as a pillow. Opening them,he found money.

"Well well." the third man said. He took all the money out,showing the other two. "Look what we got here." he smirked. "This is quite a lot fer just two guys to be carryin' 'round." He put the money back in the saddlebag. "Guess it's ours now." Akito assumed this man was the leader,by the way he was talking to the other two.

"You bastard!" Tsuyoshi shouted. Akito glanced at his friend. He had never heard him swear before. The leader dropped the saddlebag and walked over to Tsuyoshi. He crouched down so that they were at eye level.

"Beg pardon?" he asked. "Could ya repeat that fer me?"

"You bastard!" Tsuyoshi said again. He spat at the man in front of him. The leader stood back up. He swung his hand and struck Tsuyoshi's already red cheek. Then he kicked him in the gut.

"Say whateva ya want." the man said. "It don't change nothin'. Ya'll are still at my mercy." He walked over to Akito. "What are the chances,huh? There we were,me an' my friends,lost and stranded in the middle of no where. No food,no water,no hope." He smirked at Akito. Akito glared. "But then,we stumble across two little campers,with money,food and horses. What luck!" He smiled.

The leader walked over to Akito's horse. "So,we'll be takin' ya'll's food,money,and horses." He looked at Akito and pointed at his horse. "This one yours?" Akito still glared. "Well,she's a beauty. Wonder how fast this one gets. Guess I'll find out then,huh?"

He laughed and patted the horse's haunch. Akito's horse suddenly kicked the man. He was knocked down and landed with a grunt. Akito's saddlebag hit the ground and flew open. The money spilled onto the ground,some blowing away in the wind.

The man on the ground groaned in pain and anger. "Don't just stand there." he said to the others. "Get the money!" The two guys by Akto and Tsuyoshi left their side. One scooped up the money by the bag,the other chased after the money that was flying around.

Glaring,the leader stood up and drew his gun. He cocked the hammer and pointed it at Akito's horse. "Stupid animal."

Akito took his chance. He stood up and charged at the leader. Akito ran into him with a grunt,both of them falling to the ground. The gun skidded across the ground. The other two men turned and saw Akito. They ran at him. Tsuyoshi,still on the ground,laid flat and stuck his leg out. The two men tripped and stumbled onto the ground. Tsuyoshi stood up and kicked the men. Tsuyoshi took his gun and hit them over the head with it,knocking them out.

Akito wrestled with the leader. The leader was laying on the ground,his back to the dirt. Akito was on top of him. The man reached out to Akito,scratching his face. The man got his feet under Akito and kicked hard,getting Akito off of him.

The both of them stood up,and the man swung at Akito. Akito ducked,sending the man into an uncontrolled spin. He swept at the man's feet,causing him to fall,but onto Akito. He punched Akito in the face. Akito could taste blood. The man moved to hit him again,but Akito smashed his head into the man's face.

The man stumbled back,trying to stand up. Akito stood up and grabbed the man's shirt collar. Akito punched the leader,dislodging a tooth from the man's gums. He punched him again. Then the man kicked Akito's knee,bringing him down. He grabbed Akito's arm and flipped him over. Akito landed on his back,the air knocked out of his lungs.

While Akito laid there,struggling to breath, the man kicked Akito's side over and over. He then got down and punched him in the face. Akito bit his tongue,and the taste of blood increased. The man went to punch him again. Akito spat at him,covering the man's face with saliva and blood. Mostly blood. The man,blinded,tried to wipe the stuff out of his eyes. Akito slammed his head into the man's skull again. The man slumped backward onto the ground.

Akito stood up,breathing deeply. He wiped his mouth with his arm,some blood staining the sleeve. Akito stared down at the man. With the fight over,and the adrenaline wearing off,Akito's wounds began hurting. Beaten and bruised,Akito let out a sigh. His head throbbed in pain from not one,but two head-butts.

Panting,he walked over to his discarded saddlebag. Akito got out his water and drank almost all of it. He picked his bag up,along with some of the money on the ground, and walked over to Tsuyoshi. Akito's heart continued to pound in his chest,blood still pumping fast through his veins. His head throbbed in pain with each step,and the bright,beaming morning sun did nothing but made the pain worse.

Reaching his friend,Akito and Tsuyoshi fist bumped each other. Akito continued to breath heavily. He walked over to his horse. Akito petted his horse's head,looking into her eyes. "Good girl." Akito said. "Thank you."

Tsuyoshi packed everything up. He picked his glasses up off the ground and cleaned them off. He put them back on his face,relieved that he could see better again. Tsuyoshi then searched his saddlebag. "What are you looking for?" Akito asked him.

"Just...something." Tsuyoshi said,stilling looking. "Ah. Found it." He showed Akito his book.

"All that worrying over a book?" Akito asked.

"Hey. I like this book." Tsuyoshi said. He sighed and laughed a little. Akito chuckled a bit.

Looking around,Akito took out his water and drank the rest. "Come on. We should get going." He climbed onto his horse. Tsuyoshi nodded,and after checking to make sure they had everything,he climbed onto his.

"What about them?" Tsuyoshi asked,nodding at the three defeated men.

Akito glared at them. "Leave 'em." Akito started trotting off. Tsuyoshi shrugged and followed Akito toward the nearest town.

/

The leader,who had slipped into unconsciousness,groaned and muttered. "Damn...Spider..."


End file.
